Technical skill in USA vs Mexico

One of the main thoughts I have had in mind and truly believe in, is that the reason Mexican players have greater touch and on the ball technical ability than their US rivals is because they have the ball at their feet from an earlier age among other reasons. Lets analyze some of these reasons.

USA Soccer lifestyle:

First, in the US kids play soccer in the back yard if there is time, but mostly during soccer practice and the actual soccer game.

Second, kids will always play sports in the house and anywhere they can, but it is more common in the US that they have a pointy shaped football and throw it around. There are other more popular sports, in the US that take away from time playing with a ball at their feet.

Third, is it easier to play with the soccer ball in your house in Mexico or in the US? This theory I am not sure on. Do US parents require more order and are strict on their kids breaking something while trying some Ronaldinho moves? I am not sure.

Mexico Soccer lifestyle:

Kids in Mexico will play soccer anywhere and everywhere. They don’t need a fancy metal goal with nice white nets. They don’t need nice green grass. They play in the streets, in parks and even in dirt fields.

Mexican kids don’t have other sports that are more popular than soccer. This is arguable in some parts of the country where baseball is pretty popular. Soccer is the sport to watch on TV and with balls sold at every market, there is no reason a kid wouldn’t have one growing up.

To demonstrate this reasoning. In the last few years while living in the US, never once have I seen kids playing soccer in the street. I have a park behind my house and have only seen kids play soccer there maybe once. I have a full soccer field down the road and I have never seen any kids play soccer there on their own.

Another aspect of this is the Mexican-American population, who admittedly are the ones that are most interested in soccer in the first place. Do they play in the streets, even though they live in the US? I would say no. The US culture seems to sway this, be it playing Xbox or needing a better field, but probably the biggest reason is not enough Mexican-Americans around to start a game. I think in neighborhoods of higher concentration of Mexicans/Mexican-Americans, you would find more kids playing soccer and even in the streets of the US.

Now I have spent the last 3 days in Mexico and going out and about I see the following, which I record for hard proof of the Soccer culture in Mexico. You might even be impressed with some of the moves and skill that these kids do and surely emulate from their favorite players.